Bus Fire Snarls Lake Shore Drive Traffic

All southbound lanes of major thoroughfare reopened at about 9 a.m. after officials cleared scene

The southbound lanes of Lake Shore Drive reopened at about 9 a.m. after a bus fire caused a major backup during the morning commute.

All of the southbound lanes of the roadway were shut down after the bus fire was reported about 5:45 a.m. near Lake Shore and North Avenue, police department spokeswoman Ana Pacheco said.

At 6:30 a.m., NBC Chicago's helicopter was above the scene and could see a heavily-burned Chicago Transit Authority bus stopped along the side of the road near East Banks Street. Nearby, a tire rested on its side in the roadway.

A CTA spokesperson said the bus was "full" but was evacuated as soon as the driver realized there was a problem. There were no injuries.

Instagram user Jim Nowak posted a couple of photos to his account showing the charred vehicle.

instagram.com/p/viwQnixqO5/
Contact Us